{"id":47431,"date":"2024-08-30T09:58:45","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T07:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/operation-an-impediment-to-crime-20240828\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T15:09:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T13:09:15","slug":"operation-an-impediment-to-crime-20240828","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/operation-an-impediment-to-crime-20240828\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal mining: R2 million forfeiture granted to Hawks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As part of an ongoing investigation into illegal mining in Welkom, assets worth R2 million have now been seized by the Hawks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Free State High Court granted the Hawks\u2019 Priority Crime Specialised Investigation unit the asset forfeiture order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The investigation is being done in collaboration with Free State Crime Intelligence (CI), and began in July 2018, aimed at disrupting and dismantling identified illegal mining activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe targets identified were members of a syndicate involved in illicit mining, money laundering, and corruption,\u201d says WO Fikiswa&nbsp;Matoti, spokesperson for the Hawks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several items including 23 vehicles with an estimated value of more than R5 million, firearms, miscellaneous tools used in illicit mining, documents, and an undisclosed amount of money were seized during the arrest of seven suspects on 15 November 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fleet of vehicles that were confiscated in 2021 include a Ford Ranger, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Conquest, and a Toyota Corolla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The targets identified were members of a syndicate involved in illicit mining, money laundering, and corruption. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2013 WO Fikiswa Matoti<\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As part of an ongoing investigation into illegal mining in Welkom, assets worth R2 million have now been seized by the 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